Monday, January 23

Script the Silence

I'm sitting in my apartment right now, looking across the road at a rooftop. There are eight young people atop it, shooting a film. If you look up from below, one of the actors looks like he is about to topple over the edge and plummet to his death. Of course, from my vantage point, I can see that there is an apartment balcony below him.

Watching people is always interesting but sometimes it is just as dull as anything. At this moment, I'm fascinated. An entire scene is laid out before me. Not only the one being acted but the real-life one of a cast and crew. I have no idea what is being shot or said. My own imagination fills in the blanks.

At first I assumed that the character barging onto the rooftop to stop this guy from death must be a cop and this guy a criminal. After all, I saw a pair of handcuffs and an arrest earlier. I changed my mind, however, when I saw that these two individuals were wearing the exact same red shoes. A captivating element.

The dynamic between these two unknown characters was intriguing. It was all played over and over before me and sometimes I couldn't tell what was the scene and what was happening in between takes. Unless I saw one of the blokes breathing on his hands and rubbing down his backside to keep warm.

The actors and the crew are gone now* but I now think of that rooftop as a stage. For a moment, it drew my attention in a way it has never done before. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think they are itching at something. A silent scene can draw its own dialogue in your mind. You see the character dynamics in body language alone and make up your own relationship and back story.

I wonder if my rooftop entertainers will come back. Perhaps not. It is just one scene after all. Next time I am out, I may just plug my ears with music and see what my brain formulates from imagery alone. Snippets of conversation is one thing but I find that a twin pair of red shoes is something even more spectacular.

Have you ever observed a silent scene and let your imagination rip on what might be said or done in such a scenario?

*I typed too soon. They just went in for a break. This is really entertaining.